HF antenna for RVs

[_L7]

I have been playing with different antenna ideas for the MH for awhile. Nothing seems to work great, aside from putting a dipole up once you arrive at the campground. The dipole is usually not real easy and may not be feasible at some campgrounds.

I recently purchased a Zero Five 43' vertical (10-160) for my home QTH. It is the best vertical I have ever used. I am very happy with it.

The other day I was in QSO with a gentleman from Texas and the subject of RVing came up (yes, I suggested he join this forum). We discussed RVs and then RV antennas. While talking about antennas he mentioned that Tom from Zero Five antennas was making him a custom fold over vertical for his RV. I stated that there was nothing on his web site about mobile or RV antennas. The guy says that Tom is going to make this one custom and see how it works before trying to sell any.

I will be watching this closely because if the antenna is viable both in mounting and useage for an RV (and works as well as his vertical I have) then I will probably just have to get one!

I posted this since there has already been some discussion about RV antennas on this forum. The down side to this particular antenna as it was described to me is that it will have to be folded down while traveling (30+ feet long).

If anyone wants to take a look at the Zero Five website....here it is....

http://www.zerofive-antennas.com/



73,
Ed
N6LZR

[Radio]

I have used an old beat up Butternut vertical with good results on my island hopping campains. I have thought about modifying one of those such that certain joints were held together with hose clamps. Then the antenna would break down into sections for transport and go back up quick, easy and still in tune. A little dab of "bulb grease" would make the sections come back apart easy.

Then there's my trusty 20m bazooka dipole. Wow. Works the world on 100 watts, the secret being when you are QTH'ed on a desireable island the DX will come to you!!

[w7wv]

I was in the same boat as you at one time.
I wanted to use a 23' marine vertical with a tuner but it dawned on me that with that antenna fixed to my RV it could limit my parking as I would not be able to use it without the absence of trees.
Many campsites that we have had in the nearly 40 years of RVing that we have did have trees and having such an antenna was not an option in my opinion.
At one point I did have an EZ-UP tri-pod that I could move around and I had an Outbacker on it and then changed to hamsticks later.
That afforded me more mobility but then I had to set it up and take it down.
I also had to set radials out needless to say.
I also wandered about kids wandering in and around it in the campsite.
I am quite happy with my 102" whip mounted high up on my rig. It's fed by an AH-4 tuner and the FT-897D. It's out of the way except for travel. I do have to tie it down (or remove the whip) as it's mount is only 1' from the top of the rig. On the other hand it tunes 6-40 and I get good signal reports.
I can also had a length of wire to it with an alligator clip to tune more bands if I want to.
But as you well know as a ham you have to adapt.

Gook Luck

[w6pea]

I have my High Sierra Side kick set up for the RV.

[wa8yxm]

I"ve been looking for a good antenna for 80 (or 160) through 10 (or six) Thanks I'll look into zero-5

[w7wv]

Warning, it's a big thing!
I thought the shakesphere 23' marine whip was good sized!

[N7OQ]

I have the Buddipole, works OK for me.

[Richard Stouffer]

Ken, the wire on the whip can yield some pretty impressive results. I tried that over the weekend. I clipped about 60 feet of 16 gauge onto the whip on my Jeep and the results were very impressive. Had I more time, and if I hadn't broken my radio, I'm sure I could have made a pretty good contribution to my meager DX log.

[KC1BUD]

Ken, the wire on the whip can yield some pretty impressive results. I tried that over the weekend. I clipped about 60 feet of 16 gauge onto the whip on my Jeep and the results were very impressive. Had I more time, and if I hadn't broken my radio, I'm sure I could have made a pretty good contribution to my meager DX log.


At what speed did it fianally come off??:D

[w7wv]

Around 65 or so but it beat 3 Hondas and a Toyota to death before it went! :D

[One Country Boy]

I've been using a couple of Ham Sticks mounted atop my rear ladder on our 5'er. I have them on a quick disconnect. Working 75 and 40 meters mostly. I've had satisfactory results. I'm taking along my old Hustler antenna this next trip. I'll use the adaptor so I can mount 3 of the loading coils at once. It will keep me from having to climb the ladder everytime I want to change bands. Better for my knees as well (staying off that ladder). :)

Have a great day all.

Jim

[Oldmax]

Most campers around here use the Eagle one . 80 thru 10. http://www.w8afx.com/ Is built by a local ham . I have one that I use set up in back yard.

[NN5I]

I've been considering one of the KJ7U antennas, www.kj7u.com (http://www.kj7u.com), for some time. Anyone have any experience with one on an RV?

[N3LYT]

I have a home made rotating dipole that I can move the elements inside one another and be resonate on 10/12/15/and 17 this all fits on fiberglass poles up about 26'. Looks kind of silly on the back of my 17' camper but it sure works well. I also have a 40/80 meter dipole made from ladder that mounts to the poles but that really takes up a lot of real estate. If I,m some where that makes it a pain to assemble I stick the coax inside the sliding window on the truck and plug into my screw driver antenna.

[wa8yxm]

My concerns and thoughts.

First I drive a 37'7" Motor home, I suspect that if you folded the 43'er at the right point and mounted it at the right point you coudl have it full length and it would lie on the roof of the MH (in a cradle) when driving quite nicely.

That's the plus

Of course do it a bit different and you could detach say 20 feet and just fold 10 over.

Now the hard part.

RADIALS. 43' verticals need a good ground radial system.. You may have an issue there.

They also suck on 75/80/160

[AC6CV]

Ham sticks seem to work OK. Mounted on ladder mounts. I guess if I RVd full time I wouldn't be happy.

[wa8yxm]

One thought you might wish to pass back up the chain.........

WHen talking about Sat TV I often make reference to "The Evil Signal Eating Tree".. Now at HF it won't much bother the signal.

But it will bother raising the antenna.

[fulltimers-47]

hiw5dva here retired navy to use the buddipole like 2 know how it works 4 u thank u rick([email protected] (here iam fulltimer-47)

[wa8yxm]

I have been using a long wire on a tuner for oh, 11 years. but I plan on chatting with DX Engineering or someone day after tomorrow... (Dayton Hamvention now in Green County Fairgrounds Xenia OH, I'm 15 miles out on a no-sewer site.. They did not have the full weekend till I told 'em "No sewer" was just fine.. then they had lots of spaces)

[N3LYT]

I've been considering one of the KJ7U antennas, www.kj7u.com (http://www.kj7u.com), for some time. Anyone have any experience with one on an RV?

I have seen several auto tuners, the one I have in the truck is manual similar to setting the button on a car radio set the SWR with the radio or a meter press and hold the button it remembers the turn counter setting. They are OK but due to motor drift they may not produce flat SWR but fine for while driving. I have heard mixed revues for the auto tune ones they are out there for less than $200. I took my home made screw drive ground mount with me on a trip down south and I have found it to be a fair amount better than mounting it on my pole behind the camper above the roof. I don't think I would worry about 160 with a screw driver antenna it probably would make a better heater than an antenna.

[wa8yxm]

At Hamvention I got an ALPHA.. this is a 17' all band antenna (80-10 I think)
Have tried on 80, and 40, not yet on 20-15-10 and found the SWR well within spec and the ability of the radio's auto-turner to zero out. (I think 2.5/1 was the highest I saw)

BUt it does not hear as well as my long wires I think.. Have yet to do "A/B" testing but that will be done in 2 weeks.. Loads nice though. Mine is tripod mounted.

[Radio]

At Hamvention I got an ALPHA.. this is a 17' all band antenna (80-10 I think)

So does it break down for transport easy? How do you get down the road with it?

[L2C]

I am looking at putting a mast in/on the RV that we buy. I would like to see how it mounts to the tripod.

Mike

[wa8yxm]

For the last 12 years I have used an assortment of long wire type antennas.

The Transceiver is a Kenwood TS-2000. and on the back of the house fed with RG-8x is a Kenwood KAT-1 Auto Tuner (Marine grade version of the KAT-3)

I have a 1/2 inch copper pipe that runs the length of the RV. about 3" off the roof (Goat rail style) Not too happy with it.

I have a "Long wire" Currently 80' I can in some parks, toss over trees. Best antenna

I have a 50' Wire. it runs up a fishing pole at the back of the hosue then to a flag pole on the front. Current antenna Works fairly well and no problems with park rules so far

I have one of the new ALPHA dummy loads.. Am not happy. Feed it with 50' of LMR-400 (Very good coax) and still does not measure up to the 50' wire. close to the goat rail in effectivness.

[N3LYT]

For the last 12 years I have used an assortment of long wire type antennas.

The Transceiver is a Kenwood TS-2000. and on the back of the house fed with RG-8x is a Kenwood KAT-1 Auto Tuner (Marine grade version of the KAT-3)

I have a 1/2 inch copper pipe that runs the length of the RV. about 3" off the roof (Goat rail style) Not too happy with it.

I have a "Long wire" Currently 80' I can in some parks, toss over trees. Best antenna

I have a 50' Wire. it runs up a fishing pole at the back of the hosue then to a flag pole on the front. Current antenna Works fairly well and no problems with park rules so far

I have one of the new ALPHA dummy loads.. Am not happy. Feed it with 50' of LMR-400 (Very good coax) and still does not measure up to the 50' wire. close to the goat rail in effectivness.

We tried a long wire on top of a train car thinking the roof might make a ground plane ended up with an Out Back stuck to the rear of the car worked much better.

[wa8yxm]

Since getting this RV in 2005, and visiting Dayton in '06 I have used a Kenwood TS-2000 feeding a KAT-1 Tuner (marine grade version of the KAT-3) and from 50-100 feet of wire, usualy 14ga tossed over tree limbs and the like (I run it up a flagpole first.. A genuine flagpole. SUNSETTER telescoping 24')

The current wire is 50'. Run up a pole (not the Sunsetter) at the back of the rig and then over the top of the rig to the Sunsetter at the front (park on base).

The alternate long wire is currently 83' but I did not feel like tossing over trees just now.

I also have one of the "new" Alpha antennas mounted on the RV (At 17' it comes off when I drive)

KAT is fed with around 30' of RG-8x
Alpha 50' of LMR-500 (High quality RG-8 equivlent)

Alpha gives good SWR (Less than 2-1) on bands I work wihtout the tuner, 1/1 with.

Long wire also 1/1 with but higher 2 if I turn the KAT off.

Long wire is at least 2 S-units stronger than the Alpha on receive and stations that I can hear clearly can also hear me on the long wire, not so on the alpha.

So... I'm not impressed with the Alpha

HOWEVER that said.... Some places won't let me toss wires over trees.. and one campground I stay at......... NO TREES

[Wa2yly]

Hi
I just bought a 20 and 40 mtr hamstick.I have the 3/8 24 hustler ladder mount.
Checked swr with ant analyzer and cannot get swr below 3.1
Has anyone else had this problem with hamsticks.
Bob

[N3LYT]

Hi
I just bought a 20 and 40 mtr hamstick.I have the 3/8 24 hustler ladder mount.
Checked swr with ant analyzer and cannot get swr below 3.1
Has anyone else had this problem with hamsticks.
Bob

I gave a hand full of them away if that helps.